All three batsmen looked at ease against a harmless bowling attack but a late flurry of wickets ruined what should have been a comfortable day at the office for the tourists.

‘We’re fractionally disappointed, a couple of the dismissals were on the sloppy side,’ Stoneman admitted. ‘We’re frustrated we didn’t kick on and get a couple of hundreds.

Ashes schedule - the key dates

First Test: November 23-27 (Brisbane)

Second Test: December 2-6 (Adelaide)

Third Test: December 14-18 (Perth)

Fourth Test: December 25-29 (Melbourne)

Fifth Test: January 3-7 (Sydney)

‘But credit to our opponent, they stuck at it and got themselves back in the game. We need to be scoring hundreds and big hundreds [in Australia] so there’s lessons to be learnt in that regard.’

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Former captain Alastair Cook failed again at the top or the order, edging behind to provide Jackson Coleman with the first of his three scalps.

Surrey opener Stoneman scored 61 (Picture: Getty)

Dawid Malan looked assured again (Picture: Getty)

Hampshire’s James Vince made 33 before falling to spinner Daniel Fallins, who finished the day with figures of four for 71, and Stoneman and Root both departed shortly after reaching their half-centuries.

All-rounder Chris Woakes scored an effortless 33 but his wicket sparked a late collapse as Craig Overton and Malan were both dismissed in the last over of the day.